8-year-old boy shot and killed in Bronzeville; relative released without charges
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A family member has been released without charges, after accidentally shooting and killing an 8-year-old boy was shot and killed Monday evening in the Bronzeville neighborhood.
Police said the boy was inside a unit in a high-rise building in the 3600 block of South Rhodes Avenue at 5:48 p.m. Monday with other people, when he suffered a gunshot wound to the head. The boy, identified as Jaiden Hines, was rushed to the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital where he died of his injuries.
Chicago Police spokesman Tom Ahern said a family member, who is a juvenile, turned himself in to detectives, and was questioned in the presence of his mother before he was released without charges. Sources said the relative is the boy's brother.
Ahern said the relative admitted to accidentally shooting the 8-year-old, and expressed remorse. Detectives also questioned the mother and another family member who was in the house at the time of the shooting, and police do not believe the shooting was intentional.
The case was presented to Cook County prosecutors, who rejected charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless discharge of a firearm, according to Ahern.
A lot of the boy's family members were spotted at the hospital Monday night. They were understandably too devastated to talk with CBS 2 on camera.
Community activist Andrew Holmes spoke with the family from the hospital.
"He's [Jaiden is] just a fun, fun little guy. He's close with his family. And you know, as usual, you know, they're going to miss him," Holmes said. "But you know, they're hurting right now. They're grieving real heavy about this."
